Procrastinating...Again

Here I am, trying to finish my work assignments, yet oddly enough (or not), I am feeling compelled to blog. Not inclined, but COMPELLED. It can only mean one thing---I'm procrastinating again. What's new? Not much. What's old then? The earthquake. I was in Sharkteeth's classroom to pick her up and I felt so dizzy I thought I was having a stroke. (After my mom's stroke, I got a notch more hypochondriac, and my illness du jour is stroke.) Then I heard someone saying "Lindol!", which TheHusband found odd because the Cebuano for earthquake is linog and you're more likely to utter in your mother tongue in moments of surprise or panic. I surmised that maybe someone indeed yelled linog but the horrible trembling of the earth lent great clarity and made no mistake as to it's meaning. While I'm clutching Sharkteeth, who seemed excited rather than afraid, I was watching two of her classmates who immediately sought shelter under the jamb of the classroom door---so impressed with their presence of mind! Some of the kids were panicking, and a teacher and I had to yell a few times to get things in control. I was thankful that the Mother Superior immediately took to the PA system and yelled for order and prayers. You see, I sometimes resent the Mother Superior's lecture/"sermon" almost every morning, but at the moment, I was so thankful that her air of authority quelled the panic. Maybe that's why she's called superior. Having experienced earthquakes before, though not as high a magnitude as this (6.8), Sharkteeth and I proceeded to her doctor's appointment. When we got there, most of the staff and the patients are outside the hospital. When the aftershocks subsided and the staff and patients started to head back to the hospital, the doctor decided to cancel all his appointments for the day. Tangent thought: While I understood his reason, his condescending attitude irked me so, especially since I've been trying to book for an appointment with his clinic for so many days already. If there's one thing I really miss in living in Laguna, it's the excellent and easily accessible health care. On our way back to school, TheHusband called us and told us to just proceed home, as classes were cancelled and work was at a standstill. I heard cries and yelling at the background and TheHusband explained that people are panicking because of a tsunami warning. Before we headed home, I brought TheHusband some snacks and I saw all these people crying and in a state of panic, heading to Valencia, a high-altitude town south of the city---it was a scene out of Deep Impact. I wanted to tell them that geographically speaking, a tsunami is highly unlikely because we're "gated" by Cebu and Siquijor, not the open seas, and should there be a tsunami, it wouldn't gain that much of a momentum. Of course I didn't. Doing so would only make me look like an ass. And who the f*ck would listen to someone who starts a sentence with "geographically speaking"? We left TheHusband at the office to tidy up some loose ends, and Sharkteeth and I proceeded home. We saw our neighbor with her two kids standing in a corner of the road, staring at the all people and vehicles heading to Valencia, seemingly in a conundrum whether to join the exodus or head back home---and I'd like to think my nonchalance convinced her to stay. There were still a lot of aftershocks, but after a dozen or so, we didn't bother heading out of the house anymore. Surprisingly, both the electricity and the Internet were on. Through FB, I learned that a few former colleagues headed to Valencia as well. On foot! *So, kamusta naman ang kalyo?* When TheHusband got home, he asked why I didn't change my clothes. Well, I figured that should there indeed be a tsunami and I drown, I wouldn't want to be found floating around wearing my favorite fit-as-a-rag house shorts and tank top. I know, I know, my priorities are all screwed up and superficial. I have to emphasize though that I prepared an emergency bag with basic meds, change of clothes, and flash light; well, much as I wanted to add canned goods, our pantry was sadly unstocked because I'm trying to wean ourselves from canned goods. Still, it wouldn't hurt to stock a few for calamities like this. The impact on the city is negligible at best and work was back on the next day. The worst hit was Guilhulngan, where there was destruction of homes, buildings, and roads. First, Sendong, then this. I really can't blame them for their panic. It was just too much, too soon to bear. I'm just hoping that the people will recover and "heal" soon.